Tarawa, Kiritbati, 16 August 2025

The people of Kiribati have made history by hosting the first Town Hall COP in the Pacific, bringing together community leaders, national government, local councils, youth, churches, NGOs, and international partners in the traditional maneaba meeting house.

The event, facilitated by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, and with the local know-how and leadership of the Kiribati Local Government Association (KiLGA), drew over 50 participants including the President of Kiribati, Ministers, the Australian and New Zealand High Commissioners, and representatives from local government associations.

Maneaba is the traditional community governance system in Kiribati. At the heart of the discussions was the adoption of the Ikarekebai Declaration – a powerful message of collective responsibility from the people of Kiribati. The term ikarekebai reflects the COP 30 idea presented by Belem of mutirão – neighbours and communities coming together to pool their efforts for a common good – translated into the i-Kiribati context.

The Declaration underscores the urgent reality that climate change is an existential threat to Kiribati. It highlights the loss of land, food insecurity, water scarcity, damage to marine ecosystems, and cultural erosion already experienced by communities. The people of Kiribati call on major emitting countries to provide the necessary support while committing themselves to action through the traditional maneaba system of collaboration.

Key priorities identified include:

● Strengthening food and water security through local production, composting, biochar, desalination and small-scale technologies.

● Protecting coastlines and marine ecologies with seawalls, vegetation, and reef restoration.

● Building urban resilience with safer housing, green cooling, and community shelters.

● Supporting cultural resilience gives young people hope and confidence in their future.

His Excellency, the President of Kiribati, said:

“National climate goals cannot succeed without local leadership. Town Hall COPs bring communities and governments together to close the gap between commitment and action, ensuring our voices shape the policies that shape our future.”

While the Mayor of Eutan Tarawa Council, Aruea Kaintikuaba, and Chair of KILGA shared:

“The Ikarekebai Declaration carries the voice of our people. It is our commitment to work together – government, communities, and partners – and our call to the world to stand with Kiribati. Climate change is already reshaping our lives and our culture. The world must act with us, not after us.”

The Maneaba Town Hall COP builds on earlier Town Hall COPs in Kuala Lumpur and Sydney, and looks ahead to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where a Global Mutirão will be a theme of collective planetary healing. Looking further, the strong possibility of COP31 in Adelaide, Australia offers an opportunity to place Pacific voices at the centre of global climate diplomacy a point the His Excellency, the Australian High Comissioner, Mr Mark Foxe underlined in his address to the maneaba.